Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-03-03

You cannot indict such body for refusal
to obey the organic law. The appeal must be
sentiment-to that sense of fairness inherent
in every just man. and the appeal will event
ually be found not to have been made in
vain.
THE RECENT REPUBLICAN CLUB DINNER
Permit to remark, in passing, that it is
with feelings of peculiar qualification that
am permitted, by your kind courtesy, to
speak upon The Democratic Party in this
Academy of Music, Brooklyn. This building
has especial interest to me, because it was in
yonder spacious audience room where, in the
memorable campaign of 1885, and during its
darkest days, the Democracy of Brooklyn,
on that terribly stormy night, turned out in
Iuch tremendous numbers and gave me that
magnificent reception which cheered and en-
Outraged our friends in every part of the
state, and for which shall always remain
most profoundly grateful (Ch GERS and way
ing of handkerchiefs. A voice: Three cheers
for our governorr1 Neither do you nor /
forget that it was at that same gathering
where it seemed as though the grand keynote
of the campaign was sounded, when, throw
ing aside entangling alliances, your standard
bearer proclaimed in single sentence the
actual platform upon which he sought the
suffrages of the people and upon which the
victory was fairly won tApplausei
Some ten days since dinner was given in
New York, at Delmonico's aristocratic res
talTant-Nerisive laughter)-to revive the
dropping spirits and fortunes of the Repub-
lican party. 1t was not as grand nor as
sumptuous as that of "Belshazzar's Feast
Qaughter)-N hich they had in the fall of
1884, aud many of those then present were
conspicuous now by their absence laugh
teri Under the disguise of nen-partisan
affair-a favorite dodge of our clever OPP
ponents-they attempted to mveigle Gen.
Sherman into attending, but he would have
none of it. Q.aughterl The young but per-
ennial orator, Chauncey NJ. Depew, was
there cornical laughterl-however and he
always makes good speech on after dinner
occasions, where accuracy of statement does
not seem to be essential-( laughterl-an
where the audience is supposed to be in that
condition when they are not very discrim-
mating. Continued laughter) He un-
doubtedly intended an address on the evil of
monoPolies, subject with which he is en-
tireIy liar-Caughterl-and about which
he could have given US valuable information,
but he was beguiled into speaking on
Young Men in Politics"
cHAUNcEY pEPEw IN II
His topic reminds me of my first acquaint-
ance with him, which began in the campaign
vi 1872, when he was a young man himself
and the Democratic candidate for lieutenant
governor Of this state. "a voice: Hal
Han distinctly recollect how in his youth
ful enthusiasm he vigorously denounced the
extravaganza, the frauds and the corruption
of the Republican party and its leaders
long continued laughter) Well do I re-
member how eloquently he arraigned them
as false to the best interests of the country
| and recreant to the cause of good govern
| ment. As | read his remarks TIE other even
ing | wondered whether this was the same
| orator who noT so profusely showers his
praises upon the record of the Republican
both living and dead What change was
| there, my country!nenln prefer to believe
that be was honest and candid in his utter
ances in 1872 daughter and appause.)
Among other things, the gifted gentleman
| now SAYS: Young men who started out in
pohtcs naturally looked back over the
records for inspiration Did they find
| patriotism and great deeds in the history of
| the Democratic partyz No. Why9 Because
the great statesmen Of that organization
were hampered by the conditions that sur
rounded them 1t was not their fault as
much as the fault of their party"
The suggestion that there have been or are
Democrats who are not responsible for any
faults OF their party, or, in other words.
Democrats who are better than their party.
is proffered explanation or defense which /
repudate. have little admiration for the
Democracy of those professed Democrats who
always claim to he better than their party.
IaE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S GLORIOUS HIS
TORY.
But, aside from answering this suggestion.
permit me to deny most emphatically the
statement that patriotism and great deeds
are not to be found in the history of the
Democratic party" tApplsuse) On the
contrary, I assert that they can hardly be
found anywhere else. The history Of the
Democratic party is the history of the coun-
try itself Its every page is embazoned with
the achievements of Democratic statesmen
and proclaims the glory of its Democratic
soldiers, who periled their lives in their coun-
try's battles 1t was the Democratic party
that had almost the uninterrupted control Of
this government from its organization down
10 1861. Under its wise and beneficent adj
ministratl0n the country had twice treblei
in population, more than quadrupled in
wealth and enjoyed prosperity unexampled
in the worlds history Twenty new states
were admitted into the Union, and so twenty
new stars were added to the national flag
The commerce of the world seemed to be fast
coming under American control, and our
American ships floated in every sea The
plain truth is that the Democratic party con-
tributed as much, if not more, than any
ether agency to the honor, the greatness and
glory of the whole country
Every important acquisition of its terri
tory has been made by Democratic admins
tailons Over three millions of square
nriies-lands that comprise the garden of Ike
vor.d-were added during the ascendancy of
Democracy. (Applause) Every struggle
against our foreign foes has been inaugur-
ated by Democratic statesmen. "a voice:
That's SOD The war of 1872, to protect our
sailors rights upon the high seas, was Dem
ocratic measure. tApplause.l The battle of
New Orleans, celebrated to this day by the
Democracy in every part of the country, was
a browning triumph of Democratic generals.
tApplause.l
The Mexican war is too recent an event
for any one to deny that it was insti-
tuted, carried on and successfully concluded
by and under Democratic administration
and against the bitter opposition Of its enc
mics In fact, there never has been a war in
which the country has been engaged which
has been favored by the opponents of the
Democratic marty except the late civil war